When you visit a litter of little puppies that are so easy to handle and
control, it is easy to overlook the thought that within a few months these
puppies will have the size and general behavioral characteristics of their
breed, together with the individual behavioral tendencies inherited from the
parents. Unfortunately, when you select one of the pups and take him home,
you might be unhappy with the result, because that little puppy can change
into a much larger and more vigorous dog than your home and life-style can
manage. It isn’t the pup’s fault if you didn’t think about the adult dog that
the puppy would become.
The best puppy for you is the one you can live with, and everyone
else can, too. When choosing a puppy, you must be able to visualize what
the adult dog will be like physically and behaviorally and how he will fit
into your home facilities as well as into your life. For instance, a person
who would be very content with a relatively slow-moving Basset would
probably be frustrated with a quick-moving, high-energy terrier.
Perhaps the first deliberate action in acquiring a puppy is to set aside
sufficient time to familiarize yourself with all that the world of dogs can
offer you, and, in turn, what you can offer a dog. During this time, you can
resort to the abundant literature on dogs and seek expert advice. In this way,
you start to zero in on that special little chap that will so enrich your life in
the future.
A puppy’s adult personality will be shaped by a combination of three
factors—his breed, his individual genetic behavior, and the
socialization that he receives during the first four months of life. Breed
characteristics are generalizations, of course, but they are recognizable in
most members of each particular breed. It is obvious that different breeds
not only look different but behave differently. Don’t pick a breed on its
looks alone—you could be surprised.
